Automatic weighing device



Jan. 11, 1927.

J. B. VAN DEREN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 3. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. James B. Van Daren ATTORNEY.

Jan. 11, 1927.

J. B. VAN DEREN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig. 2.

1 I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I n I I n l I lllllllllllll/fI/l INVENTOR. James B. Van Daren Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES JAMES B. VAN DEREN, OF HENNESSEY, OKLAHOMA.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING DEVICE.

Application filed February 3, 1921.

This invention relates to automatic weighers adapted primarily for weighing grain supplied in a continuous stream, and is designed more particularly as an improvement in the weigher on which I filed application for patent Serial No. 401,375, my object being to produce a machine which includes certain desirable features of construction imparting greater efficiency to the machine than that inherent iii the above-identified ropending application.

\Vith this object in view the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an automatic weighing machine embodying the invention and shown as applied to the upper end of an elevator of conventional type;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same with a part broken away and illustrated at one side of the figure to avoid hiding certain other features of construction;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the construction as shown by Figure 2;

Figure 41-. is a vertical section taken through the container in the plane of the point from which the same is suspended from the scale beam of the structure;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail illustrative of lever movement controlling the pivoted chute or deflector for discharging the grain into one compartment or the other of the container of the device;

Figure 6 is a fragmental view illustrating a modified form of the lock mechanism;

Figure 7 is a side view of the construction disclosed by Figure (5; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the locking feature illustrated in connection with Figures 6 and 7.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates the legs, 11 the head and 12 the discharge end or hopper of the head of an elevator of any, suitable or preferred type, and fitting on the tapered portion or hopper of the head is a tapered chute or deflector 13, the same being pivotally suspended from the head as at 14c. Rigid with the head 11. is an inverted U shaped hanger 15 terminating at opposite sides of the chute l3 and equipped at its lower end. with out August 5, 1920,'

Serial No. 442,102

wardly projecting knife bearings 17, 17*. A scale beam 18 is fulcrumed on the knife bearing 17 and is equipped with an adjust able poise or weight 19, the'scale beam being adapted to be graduated in the customary manner, not shown, and to limit the vertical play of the scale beam, its free end projects between a pair of stop pins 20 projecting from One leg of I the elevator. An L-shap d bar 21 is secured to the scale beam 18, and one of its arms parallels said scale beam and is disposed at the opposite side of the hanger 15 and is fulcrumed upon the companion knife bearing 17*, as shown most clearly by reference to Figure 3. Adjacent but forward of the bearing 17, the s ale beam is equipped with knife edge bearings 22, 22*, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The container 23 of the device is of boX like form and is preferably made of sheet metal and is provided with a central vei tical partition 24 dividing it into twocoinpartments 25 and 26. At its upper end it is equipped with a stiffening band 27, and bridging the container near its opposite side walls is a pair of bars 28 and 29 secured at their opposite ends to the stiffening band 27, and said bars midway their length are provided with bearing openings 30 engaged by knife edge bearings 22, 22*, of the scale beam construction, It will thus be seen that the adjustment of the poise on the scale beam will determine the weight of grain entering the container which is necessary to effect descending movement of the same, the operation being the same as with any conventional scale equipped with a beam.

The bottoms of the compartments of the container are controlled by wing doors 32 and 33 pivoted respectively at 34 and 35, to the lower ends of the container, the doors being adapted for operation in reverse directions simultaneously, as will hereinafter appear. I

As a means of preventing undue s *ay of the container, it is preferably pivoted at 38 to and. between a pair of arms 36 and 37, said arms being pivoted at their opposite ends as at it) to a bracket 39 secured to one of the legs of the elevator. In the construction shown by Figures 6 to S, inclusive, arms 36 are utilized for carrying an element of rertain latch mechanism hereinafter described,

A short shall it join-nailed in the bun-l -12 in Figure 13, and 1n n second ll: set-uh l with n i -shaped rocker hair it) the lower enl 1e roclzcr of thc dependin; stein 1'3 oi t A w. i J-1 u 5! b6 llietl illJOl] L it, rill-LL most clearly by Fleur it panand 51 are pirotully connected 21 upper ends :it 52 and 5!"; to tl extremities oi 'icl a pin ie above that oi the sl ri'tt lower ends of snid iinhs pivoted zit 5i; and :76 to hrzz depending from the doors tirely, it heing' no connection of the lll ic t will be apparent "from the 'forcgni V lmvnwnrd movement 0t one oi h tin its upward movement to throh h the. rocker our. and th in turn. imparts correspondii to shaft ll and hence to the utilize the same power oichute or deflector l3, sl l t with a rock nrin .m hzivinglf slot it) at. its tree end engaging with one end ot a bell crank mounted on the cross bar it, the opposite end 01 said hell crank being; p'votelly connected at ()3 to one end of 2! link (32 nivoted as at. Glto the chute or deflector. 1 Fig.1' ure 5 the chute is illustrated in full and dotted lines in two opposite ositions.

itssiunine' the. the container is ein with the parts in the position phovin h h te lire r. that with the container in c relation with respect to the power ot th scale beam, it will be apparent that the n'rnin flowing from the elevator hopper through the chute will enter the compartinent closed b the respective door. and that. :is the weight of the grain in-renses, the container will gradually descend. As it attains the pointin its: descent predetermined by the position of the poise on the e bcuin. the head of nrm 45 will be broughtto 21 position slightly below the plane of the pivoted stop 4% and zit the some moment the weight of grain on the door 32 will cause the same to swing downward to discharge the grain this iii-ton o t the door on hereinlx tore eXf :11 V the closure of the other door and ti. tion of the shatt- 41. The operath shaft swings the arm to the oppo of the pivoted stop ii and becau e connection shown by Figure 5 most clearly,

ozihinc d instnntl rererses the position of the ll so thrit the stream of groin i'roni tzic hend ll shall he diverted lllat) comp: i

s the chute 1.3 is rerermd ii iii.

11;; Qfil 'dillF-Lil, the Weighted scale l rates the container and the hcid Llll 2 4+ is hroue'ht to l -1 n xt the r side of the pivoted cutch n win pivoted so that during: the

nient ot the tU'Ill 4') it shill l: swinging upward no 21H t) :ihl-e resistance to the arm. The snio constitute tle hitch or loch 1llttili.1'li*-;

i rezeining n don-r peel-rely closed n iontznner has descended u sutiicicnt determined wc plroted catch as will he readily und ii. the :oin-:truct':-i1 shown by Figur s to t; inclusive, the Eshnped rocker biir il lr i v ,7 i c .v i

stein extenoel dovnwzno 21 at it me e tension hn-Viiig the i'iziine l ltitlOli as the npwr \ily projecting" arm a"), as, will llcrw iinitter appear. in the construction e2nplowing the depending illlll A, the bars 36 and 1:3? are utilized to cinfr i :i stop inec niszn, comprising a lio-izontnlly ne l JlJtil hair (53 to be. secured nt po" i to said hers, and provided \Yiill on upa ur ll hrojetm; stop (36 for eng-nzienient at n pen" or pivoted (3T 4' i 1 l'cliiF tor the arm 1. the one pivoted 23.55 21! (33% to the said -.l'=l. it JD noted in: r terence to Figure 5 thuli "-ts arm )1 to \Tlil i'ii the l 37 i roteth are channelled es zit (3!) to preie dogs 37 droppinqbelow a h position and that udjusi nounted in said devices Eileen the container in hzilnneed tion with respect to the scale hemn, w'tl doors fully closed end the other one oi the dogs {37 hears at on one Slttt) oi the stop (it the A-en ot the container as the loud thin-eon increuses. ellei'ts u propoitionetel ii-enter lescentot the log (it; so thnt h the time the container has received the requisite voiinc ot grain, the lug tit? cl urs the lower ed 'e o t the ene'nsz nir 1n cloi *d door to open and 1 from the container on; u in the position ot the (unit i the some in nrint preceding figures, but possesses the advan tageof enabling the operator to adjust either of the dogs (37 so that it shall more quickly become disengaged, from the stop (36 in the event the operator finds that the respective compartment is uniformly deliv ering a heavier charge of grain than the other compartment. In, other words, by

making provision for adjustment of the does (37, any irregularity in the amounts of grain delivered by the two compartments can be rectified.

It sometin'ies occurs that the grain being weighed contains more or less moisture and has a tendency to adhere to the doors. Such grain. it is desiral'ile to exclude as l ar as practicalile from the hinge points oil the doors, and to accomplish this, guard plates H are secured to the wall above the hinge points and extend convergingly downward, these plates being suli'iciently thin to cut through any adhering mass of grain on the upper faces of the doors as the latter close, it being also noted that the lower edges o i said plates hear such relation to the doors that. when the latter are fully open a considcrable space intervenes between them and the doors, and thus provides for the ready escape of any grain which may have reached a position below the guards and adjacent the hinge points ofthe doors.

By reference to Figure 2 it will be noted tl'iat the relation between the lower ends of the links 51 and the hinge of doors 33, and between the upper end of said link and the pivotal point 4C1v of the rocker bar, is such as to give the open door an advantage in leverage over the closed door. As the container is lowered sufficiently to trip the latch mechanism. that is disengage the arm from the stops 48 or (36 as the case might be, the weight oi? grain on the closed door overcomes the leverage advantage possessed-at the time by the open door, this disadvantage of leverage diminishing until both doors are open to the same extent, from which time the opening door increases and the closing door decreases its leverage. This is desirable because at this time the weight of grain on the door has been materially reduced, and it is essential that the opening door shall have the advantage of leverage in the latter part or half of its movement in order to insure the proper closure of the other door and proper adjustment of the chute to dis charge the grain into the compartment of the closing door. In practice the machine is so timed, that by the time the grain thus deflected. reaches the bottom of the compartment, the door is closed and thus guards a rainst delivery of unweighed grain.

Among the advantages of having the doors 33 and 3%. above the lower edge or" the container against which they close, and pivoting the links 50 and 51. below the horizontal plane oi such hinges, and in placing the pivotal connection of said links above the axis oi the rocker arm 73 when in central position, are the following :To amplify the gravitative force of the discharging commodity for closing the open door and in actuating other necessary movable parts of a machine ol this character; to reduce the pressure on the latch mechanism and consequently reduce friction at that point and, minimize wear of the parts and. retardation of the scale beam; to provide a lockii'ig function for holding the closed door closed without the aid of the latch mechanism until a predetermined amount oi grain or the like has been deposited in the container upon such closed door and thus give ample tii'ne for the scale poise to return the container to its elevated position even it the material is slow in discharging; to give a quick movement to the deflector and thereby insure sub stantially accurate weighing even where the continuous [low of grain is very uneven.

It will be apparent, of course, that, due to the arrangement of and connection between the operative parts, the opening door at first moves slowly and the closing door rapidly, the former opening but slightly by the time the latter has reached a position where the lt-iverage is neutral, and that by the time the doors have attained such positions the chute has been sufliciently reversed to deflect the major part of the grain into the other partment, and it will also be apparent that during the remainder of the door move ments, the opening door moves rapidly and the closing door relatively slowly, the advantage of leverage during this part of the door movements being in favor of the opei'iing door and increasing until fully open so that momentinn ot the opening door is not de pended upon to ensure the complete opening thereol and closing of the other door. As shown the drawings do not bring out this difference of leverage as clearly as desirable, but it will be at once evident it it will be assumed that achange in the relative proportions ol the stem and arms oi? the T bar can be made which will lie between a balanced relation of the doors and such relation as to give the open door an almost complete resistance to opening movement by the closed door. this result being most et'lectively and etticiently obtained where the positioning of the doors with relation to the T bar and container is such as to establish a cooperative relation between them.

I claim:

1.111 an automatic weighing device, a yieldingly-elevated container having two compartments, a door for each compartment, the said doors being simultaneously operable in reverse directions, a rocker bar pivotally mounted at an intermediate point between and below its extremities, said piv- Fill tit)

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10. In an automatic weighingdevice, a pair of hinged doors adapted for use in controlling the discharge openings of a two compartment container, a pair of links having their respective lower ends connected to said doors respectively, and means connecting the upper ends of said links whereby as either door shall open the other shall close, the opening door increasing in lever age on said means While the closing door cooperatively decreases in resistance, to increase the operative power efficiency of the doors. inherent therein and as acquired from the gravitative force of the weighed com modity; and employing the power of the doors, irrelative to the downward movement of the container, in the operation of said weighing device.

11. In an automatic weighing device, a

" yieldingly-elevated container having two compartments, wing doors. hinged above the plane of the commodity supporting surfaces thereof, controlling the discharge openings of said compartments, flanges coin verging inwardly from the plane of the respective outer side walls of said compartments to cover the increased opening-j due to said position of the hinges of the doors. to prevent discharge of commodity train the side of said doors and to present a thin surface to the doors as they close. a roclirr element pivotally mounted on the rontai {r at a point bearing a substantially fixed relation to the mounting of the door hinge and a pair of links having their lower ends pivotnlly connected to the re ective doors m and their upper ends pivotally connected to said roclzez element at respective sides of the mrti cal plane ol the pivotal mounting of said element when in upright position, and above the horizontal plane of said pivot; the position of the connections of the links to the rocker element being such a to in rrea e the operative power etiiciency of the doors.

12. In an automatic weighing device. a two com iiartment (irontainer, pivoted doors controlling the discharge openings of said eomparti'nents respectively, a rocker element mounted at a point bearing a substantially fixed relation to the mounting of the pivots of said doors, links pivotally connected to said doors respectively and pivotally coir nected to respective sides of said rocker element at points above the pivotal mounting thereof. and means for locking the closed door in closed position; the relation of the doors, links and rocker element being such that on the application of sufficient power to break the locked relation and to drive the opening door substantially past balanced relation with the closing door to give the opening door an advantage in leverage on said rocker element as compared to the closing door to increase the power operative efficiency of the doors in herent therein and acquired from the gravitative force of the commodity in their opening movements.

13. In an automatic weighing device, a two compartment container, wing doors controlling the discharge openings of said compartments, a pivoted rocker element having connections with said doors whereby as either door is opened the other door is closed, embodying the positioning of the connections of the doors to the rocker element at points above the plane of the fulcrum thereof and at respective sides the vertical plane of the fulcrum when the rocker element is in upright position; the relation of the doors and the connections to the rocker element being such that the opening door gains in leverage on said element in its opening movement while the closing door cooperati'vely decreases in leverage resistance as it closes, the open door retaining its increased leverage relation while open and the closed door retaining its decreased leverage resistance while closed.

14. In an automatic weighing device, a two compartment container. wing doors controlling the discharge openings of said compartments. a pivoted rocker element having connections to the hinged wing doors whereby as either door is opened the other door is closed, the connections of the doors to the rocker element being secured at points above the plane of the pivot of the latter to increase the operative power eliiciency of the opening door, inherent therein and as acquired from. the gravitative force of the commodity, and decrease the resistance of the closing door. and employing said increased operative power in the operation of said Weighing device.

15. In an automatic weighing device, a double hopper, a pair of wing doors controlling the discharge open'ngs of said hopper, a T-shapcd rocker pivoted at its lower extremity on the hopper, a pair of links having their lower ends pivotally connected to said doors respectively and their upper ends pivotally connected to the respective ends of said rocker, and a latch mec ia-nism to alternately hold said rocker in reverse posit ons and. thereby alternately hold said doors in closed position.

16. In an automatic weighing device, a pair of hinged wing doors, a pair of links having their respective lower ones connected to said doors, a rocker element on the con tainer and pivotally connected. to the upper ends of said links connected thereto whereby as either door shall be opened the other door shall be closed, a locking element bearing a fixed relation to said rocker element and a vertically movable stop mounted on a relatively stationary object and adapted to alternately engage reverse sides of the ti t locking clement, said stop being restricted in its downwz rd movement but permitted to yield upwardly to permit free passage of the locking element to reverse position after it is disengaged from the stop by downwa d movement.

17. In an automatic weighing device, a two-compartment container, wingdoors controlling the discharge openings or said coinpartments, a T-shaped rocker plvotallv mounted near its lower extremity on th container, a pair of links having their espective lower ends connected to said do I such that th I s V 1 l J 1 J. A q v 1 Hula" iespectwei and t ion upper endsv comnU u to the respective arms oi? e d rocke' wlierehv as; e ther door openeil the other door is e t t1 ation of the connections of sail, the rocker and pivotal mount opening door shall gain in leverage on F2110. rocker as it opens while the losing door cooperatvelv decrmses in res? nee in order to increase the operative power eniciency of the opening; door in its opening movement inherent therein and acqu red from the gravitative force or the discharging coinmedity and to increase tl e holding torceoi the open doc and decrease its resistance in the latter part of its closing movement and when closed.

18. In an automatic wei hing device, a twocompartment container, wing doors controlling the discharge openings of said compartments, a T-shaped rocker pivotally mounted near its lower extremity en the container. a pair of links having their respective lower ends pivotally connected to sad doors respectively whereby as either door shal be opened the other door shall he closed ant the relation of said container, doors. links and rocker being 5: :ch that the open door gains in leverage on sad l"-shaped rocker as it opens while the closing; door coopeatively decreases in resistance.

19.1n an automatic weigheig a yieldinglyelevated hopper havir two compartments, a door for each cmipartinent said doors bong: sinniltaneouslv operable in reversed directions, a T-shaped rocker liar pivotallv mounted at its lower end on the container, links pivotally connected to the respective arinso'f the rocker bar and pivotally connected to said doors respectively. and means for locking the closed door in closed position.

JAMES B. VAN DER 1X. 

